The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus that can be utilized to significantly reduce the biological load such as bacteria, insects and noxious weeds (bioburden) from consumer products such as produce, foods, spices, bird feed, botanicals, cosmetics and medical products. These products have traditionally been treated with commercial sterilants or fumigants such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, methyl bromide, hydrogen phosphide, high heat, irradiation, and the like. Other material, such as packaging, wood barrels and wood pallets, may also benefit from the invention disclosed herein. The method and apparatus, which involve the use of sub-atmospheric saturated steam, provide advantages in bulk processing of target materials while minimizing product quality loss.
For many years, food products such as spices and leafy herbs have been sterilized using ethylene oxide. This process is inexpensive and is applied to bulk loads of material. Palletized products are loaded into a chamber and the door of the chamber is sealed. The process is performed by removing air, injecting the sterilant gas, waiting for a predetermined exposure period and then removing the gas. Ethylene oxide is a suspected carcinogen and is highly flammable. Most recently, continuing regulatory pressure on ethylene oxide processing has caused manufacturers to investigate alternative technologies.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,933 discloses a method for steam treating spices in a series of chambers and pneumatically conveying the spices between the chambers. This system is suitable for unpackaged spices that are physically capable of pneumatic conveyance through the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,609 discloses a method for gradually heating steam treated products to prevent flashing related damage. This process involves incremental pulses of steam in a series of chambers outfitted with steam injectors to carefully heat the product and kill the target organisms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,053 discloses a method for steam treating spices in a series of chambers that relies on gravity for a means of conveyance between the chambers. The patent discloses the use of multiple chambers for a more uniform treatment process and the use of gravity to minimize the contamination of the treatment chamber to facilitate clean up between cycles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,238 discloses a method for preserving foodstuffs. The method involves moving the foodstuffs in a pre-defined direction in a chamber and subjecting the foodstuffs to a flow of steam in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the foodstuffs.
Each of these patents are variations on a theme. Each requires that the food product be removed from its packaging and introduced into a conveyance system. The system moves the product into a heated chamber that may or may not tumble the product. The size of the chamber is sufficiently small to allow for rapid heating of the entire load. Steam is injected into this tumbling chamber to increase product temperature. When the exposure time is sufficient to effect sterilization, the product is conveyed to a second chamber where the product is rapidly cooled and dried. From there the product is moved for further processing or repackaging.
These systems share many disadvantages and have not been used widely. Removing the packaging from the product is only cost effective when the products are sterilized at the manufacturing site. This is not typical handling for the industry. Many food products such as spices, particularly imported spices, are sterilized when a company that specializes in importing receives them. The importer verifies product quality, including bacteria and insect bioburden, and then sells the products based on those characteristics. By decreasing bioburden, sterilization increases product value. This step occurs before the manufacturer purchases the product. It is not possible in many cases to improve product quality prior to sale using techniques that require the removal of the packaging.
Conveyors for food products such as spices are designed for specific flow characteristics of the product. Powders, leaves and seeds are conveyed using different systems. A continuous flow sterilizer can only process products that are suitable for its conveyance systems. For example, powdered spices will tend to clump, which tends to inhibit flow. The conveyance systems also create the problem of line clearance and cleaning. It is often difficult to fully clear a conveyance line prior to beginning a batch of a new spice. In most cases these sterilizers are used for only one kind of spice or herb to avoid line clearing and cleaning issues.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,153,240 and 6,264,889 disclose an apparatus and method for microbial intervention of food and food processing equipment. The apparatus and method include application of steam for a controlled time period and subsequent application of chilled water to the food or food processing equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,518 discloses a method for sterilizing seeds. The method involves exposing the seeds to dry heat, e.g., heated air or combustion exhaust gases, or wet heat, e.g., hot water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,813 discloses a retrofitted steam sterilizer and use thereof. The retrofitted steam sterilizer provides savings in water supply and keeps the water cool. The patent does not disclose or suggest a particular sterilization methodology for the steam sterilizer.
FR 2635167 discloses a method and apparatus for sterilizing food or other products using steam. The method and apparatus function as a boiling apparatus that works under pressure or partial vacuum.
EP 0006369 discloses a method for heat treatment for precooking, pasteurization, sterilization, and blanching of bulk unwrapped, pre-packed or packed products. The method involves placing the products in a container, the walls of which have been prior heated to a specific temperature that is higher than the temperature that will be applied to the products. This method, however, was not directed to operate under the saturated steam pressure to prevent undesirable water loss during the treatment to ensure the quality of the products being pasteurized or sterilized.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,009 discloses a method and apparatus for steam sterilization in which goods are conditioned by removing air and heated to a desired temperature in a chamber. The goods are subjected to a plurality of pressure pulses at above atmospheric pressure by alternate pressurization and venting of the chamber to atmospheric pressure.
None of the cited references disclose a process that would enable products sensitive to harsh conditions to be treated as is or in packaging. Thus, a means to reduce undesirable and deleterious treatment of consumer products remains a necessity.
The present invention combines the advantages of prior technologies with improvements that address the disadvantages discussed. The product can be held in its original packaging. The process equipment can accommodate different food products without extensive line clearing and cleaning procedures. In fact, multiple food products can be processed simultaneously.
The process has the advantage of eliminating the viability of noxious weed seeds found as contaminants in bags of spice and bird feed. It is known that spices from foreign countries contain weeds which are not indigenous to the United States. If a population of these weeds was established inadvertently through the import of spices, domestic agriculture and native plant populations would be threatened. This process prevents the germination of these seeds.
Wooden pallets, crates and other wood packaging involved in the import of materials internationally are frequently infested by insects which could potentially harm native United States species. This process eliminates those insects.
Wooden barrels in the wine manufacturing industry are discarded after one use to prevent cross contamination from unwanted bacteria between batches. This process can eliminate those bacteria and render the barrels acceptable for reuse.
It is desirable to treat a wide variety of consumer products in chamber type operations in a cost effective manner. The method and apparatus of the present invention permit decontamination (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cbioburden reductionxe2x80x9d) of a product as is or in a container (e.g., burlap bag, fiber drum, kraft paper bag, plastic bag, etc.)). Packaging materials themselves benefit from this invention; pallets crates and barrels with undesirable contamination can be salvaged with this process. Thus, double handling, product loss, and post treatment contamination are reduced.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for reducing bioburden from consumer products and packaging.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for reducing bioburden on consumer products and packaging in a safe manner.
It is thus an object of the present invention to eliminate the health risks that are associated with the reduction of bioburden from consumer products and packaging.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simple, efficient and economical method and apparatus for reducing bioburden from consumer products and packaging that can be used at the site of production and/or packaging of such products.
In accordance with the above and other objects, the present invention is a method and apparatus for treating spices, produce, foods, packaging materials, bird feed, wooden barrels and wooden pallets to reduce bioburden. The method includes:
a. placing a material to be treated into a chamber;
b. selecting a desired temperature T1, wherein said desired temperature T1 is based on the material being treated;
c. determining a target pressure P1, wherein said target pressure P1 provides a saturated steam environment in said chamber at said desired temperature T1;
d. creating a vacuum in said chamber;
e. introducing steam into said chamber until the pressure is equal to said target pressure P1, thus indicating that said chamber has reached said target temperature T1; and
f. maintaining the chamber at said temperature T1 and pressure P1 for a period time sufficient for said bioburden reduction. The apparatus includes: (a) a bioburden reduction chamber; (b) a temperature monitor and controller; (c) a pressure monitor and controller; (d) a steam injection system; and (e) an evacuation system.
According to another embodiment, the method is carried out as above except that prior to step e., the following steps are conducted to pre-heat a product that may be sensitive to rapid rise in temperature as follows:
d.1. steam to a pressure P1a lower than the final target P1 pressure is introduced until the product temperature is uniformly heated to T1a and the air is removed from the chamber. The process then proceeds as described above.
The bioburden reduction process of the invention replaces conventional chemical agents and solvents with steam to avoid any potential hazard associated with the use of chemical agents and solvents. The invention which does not require the use of a conveyance system provides improvements that enable the processing of target material in its original packaging. In addition, the process equipment can accommodate different food products without extensive line clearing and cleaning procedures. In fact, multiple food products can be processed simultaneously. Furthermore, the invention provides unique treatment conditions which operate both at target temperature and under saturated steam pressure to minimize or eliminate undesirable water loss which would affect the quality of the products.
The temperature and pressure remain constant with a balance of steam flowing into and out of the chamber to attain and maintain uniform treatment temperature and saturated steam conditions, protecting the quality of the products.
According to another aspect of the invention, the saturated steam within the bioburden reduction chamber is agitated to increase permeation into the material being treated. Any means of moving the saturated steam within the chamber can be used. For example, a blower can be used to distribute the saturated steam evenly throughout the bioburden reduction chamber.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, large chambers ranging in size from, for example, about 100 ft3 to about 8000 ft3 or small chambers ranging in size from, for example, about 1 ft3 to about 100 ft3 may be employed.
Preferably, the pressure within the bioburden reduction chamber is maintained at pressure between about 0.1 psia and 14.7 psia.
The present invention is also directed to treated consumer products that result from use of the present inventive method and apparatus.
Additional objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the description and examples that follow, or may be learned from practicing the method or using the apparatus of the present invention. These and other objects and advantages may be realized and attained by means of the features, instrumentalities and/or combinations particularly described herein. It is also to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and explanatory and are not to be viewed as limiting or restricting the invention as claimed.